Styling Corduroy Trousers: Colours, Tops and Shoes
Corduroy trousers work just as well with a jumper and leather shoes as they do with a shirt and jacket. To start with, we recommend brown trousers, a light blue shirt and navy knitwear. If you would like to add a jacket, you can choose tweed. Its visible texture suits the ribbed corduroy.
Wearing corduroy trousers with a shirt
For shirts, Oxford or twill goes well with corduroy. A light blue Oxford shirt, for example, links brown corduroy trousers with navy knitwear. If you wear the shirt on its own with pleated trousers, tuck it into the waistband for a clean line. A jacket is not necessary for this.
A smooth shirt can also be worn with them. It looks more formal than a sturdy Oxford shirt and can be a good fit precisely when you want to wear your corduroy trousers at the office. Decide based on the outfit as a whole; not every piece needs to be equally coarse or equally matt.
A blue-and-white striped button-down shirt with golden-brown corduroy trousers makes a complete outfit, even without a jacket.
Which jumper works with corduroy trousers?
A plain crew-neck jumper is an easy choice. Without a jacket, the knit can be chunkier; under a jacket, a thinner jumper is more comfortable. When trying it on, check whether you can still move freely through the shoulders and arms.
A green cable-knit jumper and golden-brown corduroy bring two clearly defined textures together.
Corduroy trousers with a tweed jacket
Tweed and corduroy are a proven combination for the cooler months. A brown or greenish tweed jacket can be paired with light brown corduroy trousers and a light blue shirt, for example. With a grey jacket, dark brown trousers are another option.
With a patterned jacket, look at the individual colours. A brown or green from the pattern can give you a starting point for the trousers. You do not need to match the shade exactly. If the outfit should clearly read as a jacket and separate trousers, choose a difference in lightness or colour.
With a bold check, we would start with a plain shirt. This makes it easier to judge whether the colours of the jacket and trousers go together. A second pattern is possible, but it is not required for a complete outfit.
You will find suitable fabrics and patterns among our tweed jackets and waistcoats.
The brown-and-green checked jacket picks up the olive shade of the corduroy trousers. The striped shirt shows how two patterns can work together; a plain shirt would be a quieter alternative.
Which shoes go with corduroy trousers?
A brown Derby or a shoe with broguing goes well with classic corduroy. Suede is an obvious choice, and smooth leather works too. For a slightly lighter combination with a shirt and jumper, a loafer is also an option. In autumn and winter, Chelsea boots are an alternative.
Choose your shoes and trouser length together. The hem should be able to rest on the shoe without catching on the shaft. With turn-ups, excess length shows quickly, because several layers of fabric gather above the shoe. For this reason, try the trousers on with the shoes you intend to wear before having them shortened.
An Oxford is not ruled out in principle. A plain, highly polished model does, however, look more formal than a suede shoe or a sturdy Derby. With casual wide-wale corduroy, we would start with the less formal options.
Dark brown corduroy, a lighter herringbone jacket and dark loafers. The contrast in lightness keeps the jacket and trousers distinct.
Corduroy trousers at the office or for leisure
For an office where suits are not required, brown corduroy trousers with a light blue shirt, a jacket and leather shoes are a good starting point. If jumpers are common, you can leave out the jacket. What matters is the dress code at your workplace, not the colour of the trousers alone. Dark corduroy trousers do not replace a suit where one is expressly required.
For leisure, a jumper and the shoes you need for the day are enough. An olive jacket over light brown corduroy, for example, makes a different combination from the same trousers worn with a tweed jacket. So you do not need to reserve the trousers for particular occasions.
Our corduroy trousers are made from heavy cotton corduroy by Brisbane Moss, with a pleated front and turn-ups. They suit the cooler time of year.
An olive jacket, blue knitted waistcoat and golden-brown corduroy: one way to put together a casual outfit.
Which colours go with which corduroy trousers?
With light brown corduroy trousers, we recommend navy, grey or a light blue. A navy jumper and a light blue shirt make for an understated combination. A green sports jacket or an olive jacket also goes well with them.
Dark brown can be lightened with a light grey or cream jumper. You can, however, also choose darker tops. Contrast in lightness is one way of setting the pieces apart from each other, not a requirement. With brown shoes, a slightly different shade of brown helps to keep shoes and trousers from looking almost the same.
With a muted green, we would start with a grey jumper or a light blue shirt. Brown in the jacket or the shoes rounds off the combination. With a light green, navy offers a clearer contrast; with a dark green, cream is a lighter alternative.
If you already have a green tweed jacket in your wardrobe, you do not have to do without green trousers. Compare the two shades in daylight. For an easy start, however, the jacket is simpler to combine with brown.
With burgundy, we recommend a grey jumper and a light blue shirt. Navy is another calm addition. With pink corduroy trousers, we would likewise start with grey or navy and choose shoes in a dark brown.
For your first combination, it helps to keep the other large areas plain. Later on, you could add a checked jacket, for example. With grey or navy as a supporting colour, it is easy to try out at first which shade of red you like.
Frequently asked questions about styling
Yes. Corduroy trousers fit into a present-day men's wardrobe just as well as chinos or jeans. Whether they look old-fashioned depends largely on the cut and on the other garments. Corduroy in itself refers only to the ribbed fabric. A wide wale therefore does not automatically mean a wide trouser leg.
For the overall impression, it is worth looking at the fit. At the thigh, the trousers should leave room to move when you sit. If the pleats already open wide when you are standing still, try a different cut or a different size. Check the trouser length with the shoes you intend to wear, so that the fabric does not bunch up above the shoe.
For a contemporary look, you need not choose classic corduroy trousers with pleats and turn-ups either particularly slim or oversized. If a checked jacket with a patterned shirt feels like too much, start with a plain jumper and simple leather shoes.
Corduroy trousers are best suited to autumn and winter, and also to cool spring days. With a jumper or shirt, they work for leisure and for an office where suits are not required; with a jacket, also for a meal at a restaurant.
A light blue shirt and a navy or grey jumper are an easy start. Brown leather shoes go well with them. For a combination with a jacket, you can choose tweed in grey, brown or green and compare the shades against the actual trousers.
Yes. A jumper or a shirt is enough, even with classic trousers with pleats and turn-ups. With a tucked-in shirt, the waistband stays visible; with a jumper, you can leave the hem over it.
To start with, we recommend Derbies, shoes with broguing or Chelsea boots. Suede and smooth leather are both possible. Make sure that the width of the trouser hem and the trouser length suit the shoe.